Happy, happy Friday friends! And who else is ready for a few days off?! I plan on getting in some quality Christmas time this weekend with a light show, cookies, watching Elf, the works! To be completely honest with you, I’m really throwing myself into the holiday this year to avoid all of the other upsetting news of the world. Here’s just a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself and others. And while you’re out hopefully having fun this weekend too, don’t forget to check out these links:

Last year I did a roundup on awesome books under $25 bucks and since y’all loved it so much, I thought I would do a part II! Seriously, 2016 sucked for a lot of reasons, but new books was not one of them. Not only do these fabulous books make a great addition to your own coffee table collection, but they also make the perfect gift! Here are ten of my favorite recent releases:

Guys we’re so close to 2017. So close! As an eternal optimist, I have to believe that the next year will be better and that good things are still coming for each and everyone of us. Sometimes you just need a reminder that happier times are ahead, so I teamed up with Mpix to offer this fun calendar download! Here’s how:

Start by downloading the ‘Good Things are Coming’ graphic then head over to Mpix make your own calendar page (this is the one I used). Printing cost less than $3 and comes on gorgeous photo paper! You can even create a calendar with your own photos if you’d rather save this image as a desktop reminder.

After checking out, just sit back and relax until your new calendar is delivered to your doorstep. Kicking off 2017 the right way!

This post was sponsored by Mpix. All opinions are 100% my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep The Crafted Life making! And thanks to Sarah Hearts for designing the download.

As much as I love the smell of a real Christmas tree, my apartment unfortunately just does not have the space. If you’re like me and still want to decorate, but your home is on the smaller side, don’t fear! Not only are these ten alternative Christmas trees rad, but they’re pretty painless to make. And probably best of all, you won’t have to worry about stepping on or cleaning up any fallen pine needles, which is not a bad compromise my friends.